GM₁ ganglioside reduces ischemia-induced excitatory amino acid output: A microdialysis study in the gerbil hippocampus

The effects of transient forebrain ischemia on the extracellular concentration of the excitatory amino acids glutamate and aspartate were studied in the gerbil hippocampus using microdialysis. Bilateral carotid occlusion (8 min) increased glutamate and aspartate concentration in the dialysate by 3- to 8-fold. This increase lasted 20-30 min. When the animals were pretreated with GM₁ ganglioside (30 mg/kg/day, i.p., for 3 days), the ischemia induced increase of excitatory amino acids in the dialysate was significantly reduced. The results are in line with the hypothesis that systemic GM₁ ganglioside administration may reduce ischemia-induced brain damage.